WHERE WILL JIMMY BUTLER GO?

Well...this NBA season got interesting. After reportedly being unhappy on the Miami Heat, it was rumored Jimmy Butler wanted out. That was quickly shot down in a press conference but then this happened:

The Miami Heat subsequently suspended him for 7 games. The four teams it has been said he prefers to go to are the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, and Dallas Mavericks. But then again, he said he would "find his joy" anywhere that is not Miami. Jimmy Butler walked so Tyreek Hill could run. Jimmy is 35 years old, has played in 22 games, and is averaging 18/6/5 this year. He is making 48.8 million dollars this year and has a player option for 52.4 million next year. So whoever trades for him will have to send out a decent amount of both players and draft picks.

So with that being said let's fire up the old trade machine and send Jimmy Butler to some teams he has been linked to, would be surprises, or just about anything. Before we separate possible destinations for Jimmy in tiers, we're going to eliminate the following teams that I truly believe he won't end up on because it doesn't make sense or the money makes it hard for him to get there:

• Cleveland Cavaliers

• Boston Celtics

• New York Knicks

• Indiana Pacers

• Chicago Bulls

• Brooklyn Nets

• Toronto Raptors

• Charlotte Hornets

• Washington Wizards

• LA Lakers

• LA Clippers

• Minnesota Timberwolves

• Sacramento Kings

• Portland TrailBlazers

• Utah Jazz

• New Orleans Pelicans

Well, that just eliminated a lot of teams. 56% of the league, if you count the Heat with these mentioned teams, will more than likely not get Jimmy Butler. I would truly be SHOCKED if he ends up on any of those teams. That leaves 13 teams, which we will now tier (by the way, I will be using SpoTrac's NBA Trade Machine as it factors in the CBA and financial restrictions for more accuracy). Here we go, ladies and gentlemen.

WTF JUST HAPPENED

ORLANDO MAGIC

• MAGIC GET: JIMMY BUTLER, ALEC BURKS

• HEAT GET: KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE, ANTHONY BLACK, GARY HARRIS, JETT HOWARD, 2025 1ST RD PICK (TOP 5 PROTECTED VIA DENVER0

This is hard to imagine as the Heat are trading in-conference making a team already better than them, even greater. But I get it for the Magic. A lineup of Suggs-Butler-Franz-Paolo and whatever center they have healthy is locking up anyone they are playing. But the spacing would be absolutely awful. Even getting Alec Burks doesn't bump it that much. Also trading two young and high-upside guys in Black and Howard for a 35-year-old is dumb. Please don't do it Orlando.

ATLANTA HAWKS

• HAWKS GET: JIMMY BUTLER

• HEAT GET: DE'ANDRE HUNTER, BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC, CODY ZELLER, 2025 1ST RD PICK (LOTTERY PROTECTED VIA SACRAMENTO), 2025 2ND RD PICK, 2026 2ND RD PICL (VIA MEMPHIS)

Look...I kind of like this one. Miami wants to stay competitive and getting De'Andre Hunter and the way he's playing next to Herro, Bam, and Jaime is kinda nice. Bogdan's shooting next to Herro and Duncan Robinson is crazy to think about too. For Atlanta, Trae-Dyson-Jimmy-Jalen-Capela is an extremely versatile starting 5 while still letting them have a solid bench. I just think no chance in hell this will happen either.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

• THUNDER GET: JIMMY BUTLER, HAYWOOD HIGHSMITH

• HEAT GET: LUGUENTZ DORT, ISAIAH JOE, AARON WIGGINS, OUSMANE DIENG, 2025 1ST RD PICK (THIS WOULD BE MIAMI GETTING THEIR PICK BACK), 2025 1ST RD PICK (TOP 6 PROTECTED VIA PHILADELPHIA)

If I'm Pat Riley, I'm calling OKC to get some of their young talent and take a few picks from the boatload of picks the Thunder have. If I'm Jimmy Butler, I'm demanding to go to OKC to be on the No. 1 team in the West and be surrounded by insane young talent that can prolong my career. But alas we live in a reality where both are more than likely untrue. But if OKC did this trade, they would be the runaway favorites in my opinion. Miami gets to retool and still give them a brighter future. Also, I think Pat Riley would fall in love with Lu Dort.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

• 76ERS GET: JIMMY BUTLER, 2031 2ND RD PICK (VIA KNICKS FROM PISTONS)

• HEAT GET: PAUL GEORGE

• PISTONS GET: JOSH RICHARDSON, 2031 2ND RD PICK (VIA 76ERS)

God this trade made me throw up a little. But this seems like a Pat Riley move. "Sure let's trade the 35-year-old who's been mediocre and hurt this year and is making nearly $50M and bring in the 34-year-old who's been even worse and more injury-prone and is even making a little more money." Yeah no thanks.

It Probably Won't Happen...But It Could

DALLAS MAVERICKS

• MAVERICKS GET: JIMMY BUTLER, HAYWOOD HIGHSMITH, ALEC BURKS

• HEAT GET: KLAY THOMPSON, PJ WASHINGTON, DANIEL GAFFORD, MAXI KLEBER, 2025 & 2027 1ST RD PICK

  
  

Last year we saw the Mavericks make some moves in acquiring PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford that helped propel them to the Finals. This move would see them flipping those two same players and recently signed Klay Thompson for Jimmy Butler and two other Heat players to keep their depth. The Mavericks would be going all in on bringing ANOTHER superstar to pair with Kyrie and Luka. Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes' recent play shows they could possibly handle a larger load. But it would be hard to imagine the Mavs move off all of that.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

• BUCKS GET: JIMMY BUTLER

• HEAT GET: KHRIS MIDDLETON, BOBBY PORTIS, 2031 1ST RD PICK (VIA MILWAUKEE)

• PISTONS GET: PAT CONNAUGHTON, 2031 2ND RD PICK SWAP (VIA INDIANA FROM MIAMI)

So Pat Connaughton is sent to the Pistons for salary purposes. Miami gets Khris Middleton who has just recently been moved to the bench and provides veteran play. When I close my eyes, I can totally see Bobby Portis ripping down rebounds next to Bam in a Heat jersey and starting fights. But this is all about the Bucks. Dame/Jimmy/Giannis as a Big 3 would be simply unreal and give Milwaukee a better chance to beat the Celtics.

DENVER NUGGETS

• NUGGETS GET: JIMMY BUTLER

• HEAT GET: MICHAEL PORTER JR., ZEKE NNAJI, 2025 1ST RD PICK (TOP 5 PROTECTED VIA DENVER)

• PISTONS GET: DARIO SARIC, 2027 2ND RD PICK (FROM MIAMI)

By the way, if you haven't noticed the Pistons have a lot of money so they're getting included in a lot of these to make the money work. But this is the Nuggets going all in on trying to get another title. A Jimmy Butler/Aaron Gordon/Nikola Jokic frontcourt is...better than what they have currently? Right? I guess I would agree that's the case. Miami gets a 26-year-old scoring wing, a 23-year-old stretch big who probably needs a change of scenery, and a 1st this year. Not bad.

More Than A Dark Horse, Less Than A Favorite

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

• SPURS GET: JIMMY BUTLER

• HEAT GET: KELDON JOHNSON, HARRISON BARNES, TRE JONES, 2025 1ST RD PICK (VIA ATLANTA), 2025 1ST RD PICK (VIA SAN ANTONIO)

Ok, San Antonio. Please read what I wrote about the Pistons a little bit above this. But swap out Cade Cunningham for a 21-year-old who's 7'4" and averages 26/11/4 with 5 stocks. You still keep Vassell, Sochan, and Castle. Also, you might be asking if trading 2 first-round picks in this year's draft is too much. Well, the Spurs would still have two more. Worth a phone call to Pat Riley.

DETROIT PISTONS

• PISTONS GET: JIMMY BUTLER

• HEAT GET: TOBIAS HARRIS, TIM HARDAWAY JR., 2025 & 2028 1ST RD PICK

Hey Detroit! You're 18-18 and Cade Cunningham is a legit STAR (24/7/10 this year). You have a lot of young pieces that are uber-athletic and can defend. You have role players that can shoot. Why not send 2 veteran players and two 1st-round picks and speed up the process? Pull the trigger. Also Miami is that really THAT bad of a haul?

HOUSTON ROCKETS

• ROCKETS GET: JIMMY BUTLER, PELLE LARSSON

• HEAT GET: DILLON BROOKS, JABARI SMITH JR., CAM WHITMORE, AARON HOLIDAY, 2025 1ST RD PICK (VIA HOUSTON)

Ime Udoka would love Jimmy Butler so much. Getting to see a defensive lineup of Jimmy, Amen Thompson, and Tari Eason guard opposing teams' wings would be like watching Joker 2. Sitting through pure torture. The fact Houston could trade those 4 players and still keep all the MAIN pieces of their young core (Sengun, Green Thompson, Eason, and Sheppard) is great. Miami also getting Dillon Brooks as a solid 3&D veteran is okay I guess. But getting Whitmore and Jabari to pair next to Herro and Bam sets Miami up for greater success in the long-term.

Sham-ber Alert Time

PHOENIX SUNS

• SUNS GET: JIMMY BUTLER

• PISTONS GET: BRADLEY BEAL

• HEAT GET: TOBIAS HARRIS, TIM HARDAWAY JR., 2025 1ST RD PICK (VIA DETROIT), 2026 1ST RD PICK SWAP (VIA PHOENIX)

So this trade is basically the same as the Pistons one I mentioned which I get. But this is essentially the trade that would happen if Pat Riley agrees to let Butler go to the Suns and only the Suns. Sadly the money doesn't work for a one-for-one trade between Beal and Butler, but factor in Detroit...and here we go. And I won't lie, I think Bradley Beal is a better fit for the Pistons. Tim Hardaway is on an expiring contract so that would free up $16M this offseason for the Heat. The main thing in this trade is the Suns now have Butler/Booker/KD. I still think that would be a bad team with the pieces around them and Booker has not played to the level we expect from him this year.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

• WARRIORS GET: JIMMY BUTLER, PELLE LARSSON

• HEAT GET: ANDREW WIGGINS, GARY PAYTON II, KEVON LOONEY, MOSES MOODY, 2025 & 2027 1ST RD PICK

The Warriors would be stupid to do this trade in my humble opinion. They are not a good team year with a bad roster with no legit big man, defends poorly, and misses too many layups (Trayce Jackson-Davis is legit the worst player in the league at making layups). But then again they just might be this stupid. Pairing Butler with Curry would be scary to see in the playoffs, but the Warriors would have to MAKE the playoffs first. Also, the Warriors' 3 highest-paid players would be 34, 35, and 36 years old. Yikes. The Heat on the other hand load up with Wiggins, a young 3&D wing in Moody, and 2 firsts? Yeah, they would take that in a heartbeat. But I think this would be an idiotic trade on the Warriors' behalf. But it could totally happen.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

• GRIZZLIES GET: JIMMY BUTLER

• HEAT GET: MARCUS SMART, BRANDON CLARKE, LUKE KENNARD, JOHN KONCHAR, 2025 & 2027 1ST RD PICK

This is honestly my favorite trade. Memphis is a legit Finals contender and this trade could catapult them to being a legit championship contender. They would still have their 3 best players, all their good young players, elite depth, and more. They're already the No. 2 seed in the West currently. GO ALL IN! If it doesn't work out, are you really going to miss the 4 players you moved? Memphis has at least 1 player on their roster right now that could easily replace them. And that's before considering you're bringing in Jimmy Butler. Grit & grind is EXACTLY what Jimmy Butler does and is about. Make it happen. Miami also gets an expiring contract in Kennard, easily flippable vets on good contracts, and also picks. Works out for both sides.

So now that all that has been said, where do YOU think Jimmy Butler ends up? Either way, I think he will be the first domino to fall on what could be a crazy trade deadline.